ARE ALUMINUM FOREIGN-BODIES DETECTABLE RADIOGRAPHICALLY

To determine whether aluminum foreign bodies located in the soft tissues of small body parts are radiopaque, six pieces of aluminum (0.5 mm × 0.5 mm × 1 mm; 0.5 mm × 0.5 mm × 2 mm; 0.5 mm × 0.5 mm × 4 mm; 1 mm × 1 mm × 1 mm; 1 mm × 1 mm × 2 mm; and 1 mm × 1 mm × 4 mm in size) were placed in a chicken wing model and anteroposterior and lateral radiographs of the preparation were obtained. Aluminum fragments (of all sizes used) were easily discernible when projected away from bone. The authors conclude that aluminum foreign bodies located in the soft tissues of small body parts are radiopaque. © 1993.